Like so many others, Amanda Petrus got a bit lost after college. She had a chemistry degree and not a lot of direction.&nbsp; But she was able to find work at a juice factory in the vineyards of western New York.&nbsp; Her job was quality control, which meant overnight shifts at the factory, tasting endless cups of fruit punch and comparing them to the ever-evolving set of juice standards that they kept in the “juice library.”&nbsp;She calls herself and “odd creature”, especially for the time and place: she was a woman working in a factory dominated by men, she was openly lesbian (and yet still rebuffing advances from her coworkers), and she was a lover of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Wagner-German-composer">Richard Wagner</a>’s—sometimes dressing up as a <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-pieces/classical-music-richard-wagner-ride-of-the-valkyries-ks3/zfk8jty">valkyrie</a>.Unfortunately, much of her time at the factory was characterized by the antics of her juice tasting colleague, Tim, who, in some ways, mirrored the traits of her favorite composer.&nbsp; He was incredibly gifted at understanding the flavor profile of fruit punch, able to predict the exact ratios of passion fruit, high fructose corn syrup, and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/red-dye-40">red 40</a> needed to please the factory’s&nbsp; clients.&nbsp; But he also shared Wagner’s <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Wagner-German-composer/Wagners-anti-Semitism">xenophobia</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/may/21/wagner-anniversary-germany">misogyny</a>, with his own brand of paranoia, too.&nbsp; Often, Amanda was a target of his outburstsThis came to a head when Amanda was suddenly fired and escorted from the factory after Tim levelled an incredible accusation of conspiracy against her.&nbsp;After this incident, Amanda got into grad school, and started her path towards teaching.&nbsp; She is now a professor of chemistry at the <a href="https://www.ccri.edu/">Community College of Rhode Island</a>.&nbsp; She also runs the website <a href="https://www.mailfromacat.com/shop.html">Mail From A Cat</a> where you can order mail...from a cat.&nbsp;Producer: <a href="http://jeffemtman.com/">Jeff Emtman </a>Music: <a href="https://theblackspot.bandcamp.com/">The Black Spot</a>, Serocell, <a href="https://musopen.org/music/5108-ride-of-the-valkyries-die-walkure-wwv-86b/">Ride of the Valkyries</a> (performed by The United States Marine Band),Overture from <a href="https://imslp.org/wiki/Der_fliegende_Holl%C3%A4nder%2C_WWV_63_(Wagner%2C_Richard)">The Flying Dutchman</a> (performed by University of Chicago Symphony Orchestra), Prelude from <a href="https://musopen.org/music/1958-parsifal-wwv-111/">Parsifal</a> (recording from the European Archive).&nbsp;Sponsor: <a href="https://www.esotericbumperstickers.com/">Esoteric Bumper Stickers</a>Esoteric Bumper Stickers sells waterproof vinyl stickers can fit any feeling.&nbsp; Not just for cars, Esoteric Bumper Stickers can show the world your <a href="https://www.esotericbumperstickers.com/product/preorder-briny-deep">knowledge of the briny deep</a>, your <a href="https://www.esotericbumperstickers.com/product/nothing-but-flowers">passion for flora</a>, your love of <a href="https://www.esotericbumperstickers.com/product/kittens">claws in the dark</a>, etc.&nbsp;

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